Healthy Low Cost Low Calorie Meals

Updated on December 13, 2010

Healthy Meals on a Budget

Cooking healthy meals for the family without emptying out your wallet, can be a challenge, especially in times of economic instability. Challenging, but not impossible. With a little ingenuity and a bit of skill in the kitchen, you can feed your family healthy meals for less and maybe drop a few of those extra pounds you've been trying to lose at the same time.

We all need to budget these days, but food isn't a luxury that we can cut down or skimp on. Feeding the family is right up there with paying the rent and keeping the power on.

The following recipes are family favorites. They are budget friendly, healthy and delicious. Perhaps they will become favorites of your family too.

Spaghetti

350 calories per serving - low cost - low calorie

Spaghetti

When I was a child my mother made her spaghetti sauce from scratch. Over the years I moved away from her recipe and started using bottled sauce. The results are nearly as good and the time saved is well worth the sacrifice.

German Clups

6 cups 2% milk

1 lb lean hamburger

juice from 1/2 lemon

6 potatoes

1/4 cup minced onion

3 chicken bullion cubes

salt and pepper to taste

Season hamburger with salt, pepper and onion. Form into meatballs.

Heat milk in sauce pan. Keep temperature medium/low to avoid scorching. Add meatballs, bullion and season with salt and pepper to taste. Simmer for 1 1/2 to 2 hours or until meatballs are thoroughly cooked.

Boil potatoes until tender.

Just before serving, add lemon juice to milk. Thicken with corn starch or flour.

Serve milk gravy and meatballs over boiled potatoes.

Serves - 4 to 6

Calories - 400 per serving ( a little high, but oh so good )

Cost - less than $2.00 per serving

Enchilada Casserole

200 calories per serving - low cost - low calorie

Enchilada Casserole

1 can enchilada sauce

6 to 8 corn tortillas

1 small can green chiles drained

1/2 lb grated cheddar cheese

1/2 onion diced

1/2 cup black olives diced

In casserole dish, layer tortillas, cheese, chiles, onion and black olives. Cover with half of the enchilada sauce, then repeat layer. Top sauce with more grated cheese.

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